Facebook Messenger Rolls Out End-to-End Encryption by Default

Meta is rolling out end-to-end encryption for personal messages and calls on Messenger and Facebook, finally delivering on a pledge it committed to some time ago.

encrypted messenger
Messenger encryption originally arrived in 2016 in the form of "secret conversations," and plans to extend the platform's cryptographic features have been floated ever since.

According to Loredana Crisan, Head of Messenger, Meta is only now turning on end-to-end encryption for all messages and calls between two people after years spent "rebuilding Messenger features from the ground up."

Since 2016, Messenger has had the option for people to turn on end-to-end encryption, but we're now changing private chats and calls across Messenger to be end-to-end encrypted by default. This has taken years to deliver because we've taken our time to get this right. Our engineers, cryptographers, designers, policy experts and product managers have worked tirelessly to rebuild Messenger features from the ground up. We've introduced new privacy, safety and control features along the way like delivery controls that let people choose who can message them, as well as app lock, alongside existing safety features like report, block and message requests. We worked closely with outside experts, academics, advocates and governments to identify risks and build mitigations to ensure that privacy and safety go hand-in-hand.

The extra layer of security provided by end-to-end encryption means that the content of messages and calls are protected from the moment they leave the sender's device to the moment they reach the receiver's device. In other words, nobody, including Meta, can see what is sent or said, unless the message is reported.

End-to-end encrypted conversations also offer additional functionality including the ability to edit messages, higher media quality, and disappearing messages.

Meta notes that end-to-end encryption won't prevent users from using features like themes and custom reactions, but "it may take some time for Messenger chats to be updated with default end-to-end encryption."

As things stand, end-to-end encryption for group Messenger chats remains opt-in, and Meta previously said that Instagram messages will be encrypted "shortly after" the rollout of default encryption for Messenger chats.

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Top Rated Comments

rgeneral Avatar
16 months ago
End to end but with meta back door
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SoldOnApple Avatar
16 months ago

Facebook messenger

Safer than apples sms implementation ✌️
The standard RCS standard does not include end to end encryption. Apple is lobbying the RCS group to make the standard implementation include encryption. Google is using a modified version of the RCS standard, which naturally Apple does not want to implement on their devices.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dominiongamma Avatar
16 months ago

Facebook messenger

Safer than apples sms implementation ✌️
Don’t trust Meta with anything
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
toobravetosave Avatar
16 months ago

The other half of the country use WhatsApp at least here so meh. I haven't actually sent an actual text message for about 5 years.
Good for you I send them all the time because every phone accepts them regardless of what apps you have

Downloading various apps because Apple won’t update their sms technology is piss poor
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iJulio Avatar
16 months ago
The idea that Facebook Messenger is actually "encrypted" is laughable considering it's a company that needs to mine user data and sell advertisements to generate profit.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iBluetooth Avatar
16 months ago
How can they monetize the info in the messages then?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)